1. Field of the Invention
This specification relates to a structure of a switchgear, and more particularly, a structure of a switchgear with an arc eliminator, capable of repairing and maintaining the arc eliminator even in an active state of an upper circuit breaker without breaking it, by mounting the arc eliminator in the switchgear in a pushing and pulling manner.
2. Background of the Invention
In general, when an arc fault (arc flash) is generated in a switchgear, a person located outside may be put in danger. Most of arc energy which is very great damages the switchgear and the damaged switchgear cannot be reused. This may bring about a user's great loss from the economic perspective.
An arc eliminator is a high-speed earthing switch with closing capability. Once an arc flash is generated in a switchgear, an optical sensor installed near the switchgear immediately detects the generated arc fault. Accordingly, an exclusive relay sends an operating signal to an arc eliminator such that the arc eliminator can perform an earthing operation.
The fault current is discharged through the earthing operation and thus the arc is automatically eliminated at the fault-generated point.
Therefore, the arc eliminator should be connected to a bus bar in order to eliminate the fault current. Although not illustrated, the arc eliminator and the bus are connected by the following three methods.
For an installation at an upper portion as a first connecting method, the arc eliminator is installed at an upper portion of a bus bar compartment of a circuit breaker panel and connected directly to a bus bar.
For an installation at a lateral surface as a second connecting method, the arc eliminator is installed at a side of a bus bar compartment of a switchgear and connected directly to a bus bar.
For an installation of an arc eliminator-exclusive panel as a third connecting method, one arc eliminator panel is installed at a side of a circuit breaker panel, and the arc eliminator is installed at the arc eliminator panel. In this instance, a bus bar compartment of the exclusive panel is connected to a bus bar compartment of another circuit breaker panel.
As such, since the arc eliminator is connected directly to the bus bar in the related art, the maintenance of the arc eliminator is allowed only after opening an upstream circuit breaker, other load sides are powered off as well.
For the installation of the arc eliminator at the upper portion of the bus bar compartment, the arc eliminator is located higher than a reference switchgear and an arc discharge device installed in the bus bar compartment should be re-located at another position.
In addition, for the lateral installation of the arc eliminator, it is difficult to further ensure an installation space of the switchgear.